- Date
- August 5, 1991, 16:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place
- Middlesex, NC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2139MPiper J3C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 27, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910805039699A
- Case key
- 8453
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering in a turn on initial climb out resulting in a stall.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
On initial takeoff, the J-3 pilot initiated a left turn at about 125 feet AGL. He then noticed that the airspeed had decayed to about 40 knots. The airplane stalled, and the left wing collided with the ground before a recovery could be made. The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the airplane; he was maintaining a steep, nose-high attitude on the initial climb and did not monitor his airspeed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2139M
- Reported as
- Piper J3C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20926
- Engine
- Continental C-75-12F, 75 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Stone,Alfred T & Striplin,B.
- Registered owner
- Stone,Alfred T & Striplin,B.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 2, 2000
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 35
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 138 total · 32 in this make and model · 2 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Observed at
- RWI, 14 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.